A wireless body area network (WBAN) may be a wireless network of computing devices that can be worn on the body, embedded inside the body, or carried (e.g., by hand, in a pocket, on an article of clothing, or in a bag). The rapid growth in sensors, low-power integrated circuits, and wireless communication has enabled the development of wireless sensors capable of communicating with one another via a wireless body area network. A number of sensors can be integrated into a wearable wireless body area network, which can be used for a number of different purposes. For example, applications of WBANs can be used in the healthcare domain to continuously monitor health parameters of patients suffering from chronic diseases. Other example applications of WBANs may include: sport applications, military applications, gaming applications, and security applications, as well as others.
WBAN technology may be extended to facilitate exchanges of information between individuals, or between individual and machines. For example, a wireless personal area network (WPAN) may allow for communication that is entirely within, on, or in the immediate proximity of a human body. A WBAN system can use WPAN as a gateway to reach longer ranges. For example, using gateway devices, it may be possible to connect sensors located on the human body to the Internet.